Andy Williams: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

Yes, it’s that time of year again, when Reselect becomes all Christmas-y and runs with songs of the holiday season. There will likely be a few “regular” songs interspersed, but expect to see quite a few Christmas-related songs (and who knows, maybe even a Hanukkah song if I can come up with something other than Adam Sandler’s joke song).

To kick things off, it wouldn’t feel right to go in any other direction than to pay tribute one more time to Mr. Christmas himself, Andy Williams, who passed away not long ago. And for that, the song choice simply has to be “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” the classic song that he first recorded in 1963 and which was written for him by Edward Pola and George Wyle [the same team responsible for the much-less,-well-okay,-not-at-all-famous “I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Pray’rs)”]. It appeared on his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album, which certainly has to be in anyone’s discussion of the best Christmas albums of all time.

Christmas songs just don’t get any more uplifting, jubilant, joyous, or cheery than “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” It’s the pop Christmas yardstick by which all modern-day efforts are measured. And it’s not just the song — you’ve got to give Williams himself credit for sounding so damn happy, like he’s about to burst into good-natured holiday laughter at any moment. Santa himself couldn’t have done a better job sounding jolly. And the funny thing is that it wasn’t even the song that Columbia Records chose to promote from the album. Nonetheless, it’s perennially in the top 10 of ASCAP’s round-up of most-played Christmas songs every year.

So if you’re already feeling holiday pressures, get Scrooge off your back and give Andy a few minutes of your time — you’ll feel better, I promise.